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This year provides new opportunities to acknowledge Black history—and herstory—as well as a growing Pan-African spirit. The Black History Centennial, the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the G20 convening in the United States all offer unique opportunities for engagement. Our commitment to ending hunger means that we should advocate with the U.S. Congress, the African Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Congressional Black Caucus, and the United Nations (UN). The UN has eight mechanisms that address issues affecting People of African Descent, as well as the African Group, which represents 54 countries on global issues. 

It is not every day that one can claim to have personally known a Civil Rights Icon – not just recognizing their name, but having the distinct honor of sharing meals, engaging in incredible conversations about the harrowing tales of the infamous “Bloody Sunday,” singing Freedom songs together, hearing live testimony about the ordeal on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, attending church side by side, and assisting with book signings. In my collection of memoirs, I treasure the friendship and sisterhood of perhaps my most famous Civil Rights activist, apart from Dr. Bernard Lafayette, who was also one of Lynda’s mentors. Listening to film clips of Dr. Lowery reveals the courage that resonated in her voice and delivery.

The Christian Bible provides consistent lessons concerning God’s expectations of those who lead the people, admonishing them to do so with reverence for God’s guidance and to treat all entrusted to their care with righteousness and justice. While much is made of the belief that these ideals provide the foundation of our nation’s articles of governance, it is difficult to find evidence of a connection between the guidance of the Bible and the policies of the political party currently in power.

There is something powerful about being a part of African Methodism, a spiritual movement with both history and optimism at its heart. The African Methodist Episcopal Church is more than just an organization. It is a living monument to God’s faithfulness and the determination of a people who believe that worship and service are inextricably linked. Wherever we go in the connection, the same Spirit of freedom and purpose may be felt, indicating that this church’s work truly spans the globe.

Hope, partnership, and purpose were on full display as community leaders, residents, and faith partners gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Vineyard Village, a new affordable housing development designed to serve low- to moderate-income families in Crestview. Held on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., the celebration marked the official opening of the 18-unit apartment complex situated on 1.4 acres of city-owned land

A wonder from the beauty of our souls united. A wonder that emerges from the sacred. Between our rage and our tears. Behind our fears and after our prayers. Inside our courage and above our differences.

The wonder in our spirits that won’t be silenced or suppressed. In the face of repressive violence meant to destabilize our communities and our minds and our everyday lives, like dropping off our children at school, make room for wonder.

Believers would be wise to pray this prayer for themselves and for their families every single day. Why is this true? Well, the answer is simple. No one or nothing can protect you as God can. He is God Almighty.

As America prepares to mark 250 years of independence, familiar names will fill our public memory – Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, Hamilton. Their portraits will grace podiums and parades. Yet one of the most consequential founders of the American experiment will again go largely unmentioned – Bishop Richard Allen, a formerly enslaved preacher who built a church when the Republic would not build a home for his people.

On February 17, 2026, history will be made in Maputo, Mozambique, as the
Connectional Richard Allen Young Adult Council (RAYAC) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church convenes its first-ever District 14–20 Convergence Session. This landmark summit will unite young adult leaders and members from across multiple Episcopal Districts under the powerful theme: “One Faith, Many Nations, One Mission” (Ephesians 4:3–6). More than a meeting, the Convergence Session represents a movement of unity, vision, and shared purpose among young adults across the Connectional Church. It is a bold expression of RAYAC’s commitment to strengthening global relationships, deepening faith, and advancing collective mission in an increasingly interconnected world.

In the historic halls of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, a denomination birthed from the fires of liberation and radical equality, a troubling dissonance and precedence is vibrating through the pews. As we reflect on our identity as a “connectional” body, we find ourselves living in a modern-day Tale of Two Cities.